Professionals or "workers"
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I am attending nursing school in Michigan, a very "union" state. I have recently moved here from Texas, a right to work state. There is a big political issue going on here about Right-to-work. And... Read More

How exactly does one acquire the protection and representation of a union? My state has a nurse's association; do you just become a member of the association? Or must you work for an employer who has an agreement with the union, and if so, how do you find out which employers are and are not affiliated with the union? Excuse me for being so confused. Input appreciated, thanks.

In my state, it is pretty well known which hospitals are union and which are not. There is also a list of all the bargaining units on the state nurses' union's website. You need to work for an employer whose nurses are represented by the union or organize with your co-workers. I may be wrong but I don't think the Mississippi Nurses' Association is a union being that they mention many, many times on their website that Mississippi is a "non-union state."

How exactly does one acquire the protection and representation of a union? My state has a nurse's association; do you just become a member of the association? Or must you work for an employer who has an agreement with the union, and if so, how do you find out which employers are and are not affiliated with the union? Excuse me for being so confused. Input appreciated, thanks.

Your profile states you are in Mississippi. In general, Mississippi and the rest of the Southern states are vehemently anti-union due to cultural reasons and, as a result, tend to not have any unionized healthcare facilities.

Thank you. Oh, I haven't updated my info. I've relocated to KY since I created this account. I must be over looking something because I've been browsing KY's nursing association website and can't really find anything. :/

Thank you. Oh, I haven't updated my info. I've relocated to KY since I created this account. I must be over looking something because I've been browsing KY's nursing association website and can't really find anything. :/

Based on its website, I don't think the Kentucky Nurses' Association is a union either. If you search "union" on the KNA website, you will find that they had a Collective Bargaining branch which became its own separate organization- Southern United Nurses. They appear to also be affiliated with National Nurses United. If you are interested in organizing, you can contact one of them.

I'm not sure why a masters-prepared nurse would be working at the bedside (unless they couldn't find another job), but that's another issue.

*** Seriously? You really never heard of direct entry MSN programs? People with non nursing bachelors degrees go through a 2 year program and graduate as entry level nurses and an MSN? There are 3 or 4 such programs in my state. Besides those new grads there are lot's and lot's of bedside nurses with MSN and even docorates degrees. I can think of a dozen or so just in the ICU at my hospital.

S

how me a masters nursing program where your undergrad can be music, and you are done with the masters in 2 years.

lease. I'm not sure how you get 2 years = 4 or 5 years as being "about the same amount of time in school."

**** "Same amount in time in school LEARNING THEIR TRADES". You left out the key part of my satement. Obviously the BSN may spend more years on school but only about two years of a BSN program is spend learning to be a nurse.

I get that real-world experience is invaluable learning, trust me, I do. But higher education still gives the student more knowledge than no higher education (or less of it).

*** Without a doubt. But more knowlage of what? Nursing? I don't think so. The actual nursing curriculum is hardly different between BSN and ADN programs.

Based on its website, I don't think the Kentucky Nurses' Association is a union either. If you search "union" on the KNA website, you will find that they had a Collective Bargaining branch which became its own separate organization- Southern United Nurses. They appear to also be affiliated with National Nurses United. If you are interested in organizing, you can contact one of them.

I'm not talking about anything specific in THIS thread, but just read the numerous ADN vs. BSN debate threads.

*** I think I have read most of them and I have never read any anti higher education messages. If you have then lets see them.

You yourself have said that you won't allow your SICU to hire BSNs because they are not as good as ADNs.

*** Trying to figure out if you are deliberaly making up false things, have me confused with someone else or what. I am not and have never been in any position to "allow" or not allow any SICU to decide who they will hire. I have never made any such decision or claimed that I made such a decision. I cerainly do NOT think BSNs are not as good as ADNs I don't know where you get that. I suspect you are attempting to mislead people.
What is true is that one hospital where I work as an instructor in the Critical Care Nurse Residency program does no hire new grad BSNs into the SICU but that is related their track record of not completing the required contract.

One other issue re unionization of nurses in healthcare - union work strikes. Nurses will strike for the same reasons that other union do - wages, benefits, working conditions, etc. They are also passionate about patient care issues. However, there seems to be little public sympathy for striking nurses.

Some short time ago, a union facility near me went out on strike with nurses picketing outside. However, it was business as usual. Nobody seemed to stop at the gates.

I wonder how many of the posters here who are PRO-union would honor their union's picket line and stay out??? STRIKES are always a possibility with unions - whether you are supportive or not. Strikes are a leverage tool of unions and needs solidarity of its members.

What are our strike-able professional issues - safe patient care practices and decent compensation for our services provided. Even Florence N. was working for those issues way back when...

I'm not sure why a masters-prepared nurse would be working at the bedside (unless they couldn't find another job), but that's another issue. Show me a masters nursing program where your undergrad can be music, and you are done with the masters in 2 years. Please.

Vanderbilt has a direct-entry MSN for non-nurses that is two calendar years (you're in school both summers). I don't know offhand of any other two-year programs, but I would bet big money that they are out there.

I didn't realize unions were such a touchy subject. Why so much emotion?This would make an interesting topic of research-comparing nurses who work in union workplaces and nurses who work in right-to-work. I have only known right-to-work.

Ive recently realized myself that its a touchy subject. My father in law has a bumper sticker that reads union with a circle around it and a line across it (anti union) I dont get it. But Im completely ignorant on the subject